Jennifer T. Paez Death – Tragedy struck a North Andover neighborhood on Monday as a 35-year-old mother and her 9-month-old son were found dead in what authorities believe to be a murder-suicide.
Officers responded to a distressing 911 call from a home on Turnpike Street just after 5 p.m. There, they discovered Jennifer T. Paez and her infant son, Valentino Paez, suffering from apparent knife wounds, according to Essex District Attorney Paul Tucker and North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray.
Jennifer was pronounced dead at the scene, while Valentino was rushed to Lawrence General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Authorities suspect that Jennifer fatally stabbed her son before taking her own life.
“While everyone is, understandably, still struggling to comprehend what went so terribly wrong here, our deepest sympathies go out to the family of Jennifer Paez and her son, Valentino,” Tucker expressed in a news release.
Chief Gray acknowledged the challenging work of the North Andover Police Department and the various agencies involved in the investigation. “I would like to recognize the hard-working officers of the North Andover Police Department that responded to this tragic incident, as well as our partners with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, Andover Police, North Andover Fire Department, the North Andover Community Support coordinator, and Lawrence General Hospital for their assistance,” Gray said.
Residents of the area reported seeing police at the home in recent weeks, with some noting that emergency services had been called to the residence multiple times over the years. The situation has left the community in shock.
“It’s scary…It doesn’t matter where you live. Stuff like this can happen anywhere,” said Katrina MacLean, a local resident said.
Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the District Attorney’s Office are aiding North Andover police in the ongoing investigation. Further details have yet to be released as the investigation continues.